BREAKING: New 3400-seat convention centre for Sunny Coast

A MELBOURNE-based property group has increased its commitment to the Sunshine Coast with the development of a new convention centre.

The Shakespeare Property Group will build an $8 million convention centre within the Novotel Twin Waters Resort, which the company formally took over last month in a $100 million deal.

Shakespeare chief executive Yak Yong Quek said the new convention centre recognised the opportunities in the business and events space.

Shakespeare Property Group has announced further investment into the Novotel Twin Waters Resort with a new convention centre, due to open in April.

"Our vision for continued development and investment in Queensland - not least of all here on the Sunshine Coast - is to create superior conference and accommodation options that supports overall economic and cultural growth for the communities we operate in," he said.

"We are confident that further investment in infrastructure such as this will increase the capacity for the Sunshine Coast to attract significant events, conferences and exhibitions, with potential to cater to the domestic and international travel markets."

The new 1600sq m convention centre, which will open in April, will offer four different meeting and event spaces. It will cater for 2000 delegates theatre-style, or 1000 banquet-style.

A 1600sq m convention centre is on the way to the Novotel Twin Waters Resort, which recently sold for $100 million.

The convention centre has been designed to seamlessly attach to the existing Wandiny Pavilion conference space, pushing overall capacity to 3400 people.

Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson said Shakespeare Property Group's commitment was a show of confidence in the Sunshine Coast.

"The Sunshine Coast receives about 10 million tourists each year, has 30,000 plus businesses and is one of the fastest-growing economies in Australia and we need our infrastructure to keep up," he said.

"With our focus on attracting major conferences and events to the region, this investment is timely and will be a welcome boost to the wider economy, creating new jobs, and supporting others connected to the hotel and convention industry supply chain."

The convention centre will be constructed by Hutchinson Builders and is designed by Medhurst Architects.